Discussion of the hadeeth "The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) performed Aqeeqah for himself after his Prophethood."

As-Suyutee said, "another primary text has occurred to me by which the legitimacy of the Mawlid can be derived, namely what is reported by al-Bayhaqee from Anas that ‘the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) performed Aqeeqah for himself after his prophethood.’ And it occurs that his grandfather Abdul Muttalib performed the Aqeeqah for him when he was a child of seven years, and the aqeeqah is not repeated a second time. So therefore this is to taken to mean that what the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) did was to openly manifest gratitude for Allaah making him the mercy for the universe and to legislate this for his ummah, just as he used to do by his sending salaam upon himself. Therefore it is recommended for us that we openly manifest gratitude for his birth." (‘Husnul Maqsad’ of as-Suyutee contained in his ‘Haawi lil Fataawi’)

These words were also quoted by the commentator to ‘al-Muwaahib al-Laduniyyah’ (1/140) - az-Zarkaanee.

The reply to this hadeeth:

1. When Imaam Maalik was asked about this hadeeth he replied, "do you see the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) , for whom the aqeeqah was not performed in the days of Jaahiliyyah, performing Aqeeqah for themselves in Islaam? This is from the rejected (narrations)" [quoted from him by ibn Rushd al-Maaliki in the ‘Book of Aqeeqah’ of his work ‘al-Muqaddamaat al-Mumahhadaat’ 2/15]
2. Abu Dawood said in his ‘Masaa’il Imaam Ahmad’ his work in which he reports from him, "I heard Ahmad….so Ahmad said, ‘Abdullaah bin Muharrar from Qataadah from Anas that ‘the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) performed Aqeeqah for himself’. This hadeeth is munkar (rejected) due to the weakness of Abdullaah bin Muharrar’" [This was report was also mentioned by ibn al-Qayyim in his ‘Zaad al-Ma’aad’ and ‘Tuhfatul Mawdood bi Ahkaamil Mawlood’ (pg.51)]
3. Ibn Hibbaan said in his ‘Kitaab al-Majrooheen’ (2/29) in the biography of Abdullaah bin Muharrar, "he reported from Qataadah from Anas that ‘the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) performed Aqeeqah for himself after Allaah had sent him as a Prophet.’…he (ibn Muharrar) used to be from the best of the servants of Allaah, except that he was from those that would lie without knowing it, and reverse (the meanings) of the narrations without understanding…..Abu Ishaaq at-Taalaqaanee said, ‘I heard ibn al-Mubaarak saying: if I was given the choice of entering paradise or accuse Abdullaah ibn Muharrar. I would choose to accuse him and then enter Paradise. For when I saw him I found dung to be more beloved to me than him.’ [this report is also narrated by Imaam Muslim in the introduction to his saheeh]. I (ibn Hibbaan) heard ad-Daarimee saying, ‘I heard Yahyaa bin Ma’een saying: Abdullaah bin Muharrar is not trustworthy and precise (thiqah)’"
4. al-Bazzaar said, "….from Abdullaah bin Muharrar from Qataadah from Anas that the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) ….Abdullaah bin Muharrar was alone in reporting the hadeeth and he is severely weak, one would find written from him what is not found with other than him." [‘Zawaa’id al-Bazzaar alaa Kutub as-Sitta’ in the chapter ‘Qadaa al-Aqeeqah’]
5. al-Bayhaqee said, "Abdullaah bin Muharrar reported a munkar (rejected) hadeeth concerning the Prophet’s performing Aqeeqah for himself …[quotes the hadeeth]…..Abdur Razzaaq said, ‘indeed they (scholars of hadeeth) abandoned Abdullaah bin Muharrar due to the state of this hadeeth and it is reported from another perspective from Qataadah and yet another perspective from Anas and it is nothing." [‘Sunan al-Kubraa’ (9/300) of al-Bayhaqee. Chapter: ‘al-Aqeeqah Sunnah’] This is the reference from which as-Suyutee quotes the hadeeth, yet it is strange that he did not quote the rest of al-Bayhaqee’s words.
6. an-Nawawee said, "as for the hadeeth that he -i.e. ash-Shayraazee - mentioned concerning the Prophet’s performing Aqeeqah for himself, then it was reported by al-Bayhaqee with his isnaad from Abdullaah bin Muharrar from Qataadah from Anas…[hadeeth]…and this hadeeth is false (baatil). Al-Bayhaqee said: this is a rejected hadeeth…(quoting previous words of Bayhaqee)….and Abdullaah ibn Muharrar is da’eef, being agreed upon to be so by the memorising scholars. He (Abdullaah ibn Muharrar) is abandoned." [‘Majmoo’ Sharh Muhadhdhab’ (8/330) of an-Nawawee chpt: ‘Aqeeqah’]
7. al-Mizzi in his biography to Abdullaah ibn Muharrar endorses the above words of Abdul Razzaaq. [‘Tahdheeb al-Kamaal’ of al-Mizzi]
8. adh-Dhahabee said during the course of presenting the biography of Abdullaah ibn Muharrar, "Ahmad said: the people have abandoned his hadeeth. Al-Jawzajaanee said: destroyed. Ad-Daaruqutnee and a group (of scholars) said: abandoned. Ibn Hibbaan said: he used to be from the best of the servants of Allaah except that he would lie without knowing it, and reverse (the meanings) of the narrations without understanding…." [‘Meezaan al-I’tidaal’ of adh-Dhahabee]
9. ibn Hajr al-Asqalaanee said, "his saying - i.e. ar-Raafi’ee - it is reported that he (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) performed Aqeeqah for himself after his prophethood by al-Bayhaqee from the hadeeth of Qataadah from Anas. He (ibn Hajr) said: it is munkar, it contains Abdullaah bin Muharrar and he is severely weak. Abdur Razzaaq said…[the words previously quoted]. I (ibn Hajr) say: as for the other perspective from Qataadah then I have not found it as a hadeeth of the Messenger (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) , all that is reported is in this regards is that Qataadah used to pass rulings on this as related by ibn Abdul Barr. Rather al-Bazzaar and others were certain that Abdullaah bin Muharrar is alone in reporting this hadeeth from Qataadah. As for the other perspective still from Anas then it is reported by Abu ash-Shaykh in ‘al-Adaahee’ and ibn Ayman in his ‘Musannaf’ via the route of Abdullaah bin Muthnaa from Thamaamah bin Abdullaah bin Anas from his father. An-Nawawee said in ‘Sharh Muhadhdhab’: this hadeeth is false." [‘Talkhees al-Habeer’ 4/147 of ibn Hajr chpt: ‘al-Aqeeqah’]
10. Likewise in Fath al-Baree he declares the hadeeth from all of it’s various perspectives to be da’eef. [Sharh Baab Imaatatul Adha]
11. Therefore az-Zarqaanee in his ‘Sharh Muwaahib’ (1/140) follows up his quote by quoting the verdicts of ibn Hajr and an-Nawawee on this hadeeth and then saying, "therefore to use it to derive the legitimacy (of the Mawlid) is not correct."